Kevin Pietersen is facing disciplinary action after launching a foul-mouthed outburst on twitter over being axed by England.

Kevin Pietersen is facing disciplinary action after launching a foul-mouthed outburst on twitter over being axed by England.

Pietersen joined Surrey on transfer deadline day on loan from Hampshire and will play in their four remaining matches of the season rather than for England, starting with a Clydesdale Bank40 match against Worcester at the Brit Oval today.

He described being dropped for the first time in his England career as a 'f***-up' and must now explain his actions to managing director Hugh Morris, who oversaw a onemonth ban for 19-year-old Azeem Rafiq for a similar offence.

Morris will take a very dim view of Pietersen's comments which were briefly posted on his page and spotted by plenty of his followers.

Pietersen said: "Done for rest of summer. Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too.. Its a f***-up!! Surrey have signed me."

The 30-year-old will also have some explaining to do to national selector Geoff Miller.

"I don't like that kind of language and I don't use that language at all," said Miller. "I don't follow twitter and I'm not a great believer in that kind of thing. I don't think it is necessary.

"I'm still the national selector and we make our decisions honourably for the England cause and we'll continue to do so. It is not about an individual, it is about the team.

"If Kevin thinks there is a need to apologise then so be it. I will certainly explain to him what my feelings are.

"It is something I could do without and I don't see where the word accident comes into it. Writing columns in newspapers leaves a player open to making questionable statements and I see this twitter in the same boat."

The twitter rant though hides the real story, which is the rise and fall of Pietersen from superstar to mere mortal who must now fight his way back into the team.

He might have a point where T20 cricket is concerned, but the one-time automatic pick has struggled for form for far too long in one-day and Test cricket, and until he shows signs that he can score the runs he once did England teams will live without him.

There is no question of him missing the plane to Australia for the Ashes, but the return of Ian Bell will provide the seventh batsman for six places and Pietersen is no longer guaranteed his.

"Of course he has to battle for his place," added Miller. "We will give people a real fair crack of the whip and I think we've done that with Kevin as well.

"We feel we've made the right decision because we need him to get his form back and we think he will do that playing some county cricket.

"There are a few players who will be fighting to get into that side and he will be one of those. I fully anticipate seeing Kevin back to the way he was when he dominated opposition attacks."